PLAYING WITH FIRE

Chapter 2

DANA'S POV

“When did you learn to do that?” Sis Eerah asked, approaching my spot.

She was looking at the cigarette I was holding. I was about to throw it away when she suddenly stopped me.

“I’m just asking you, I’m not saying you don't need to throw it away,” she said. I took a deep breath before taking another puff of my cigarette.

“In Spain,” I answered her.

"Wait, you never said what is your reason why you left a year ago?” she said, making me suddenly nervous.

I didn’t intend to tell to her that her husband was the real reason why I became like this, why I left.

“I just needed to breathe,” I answered her briefly again.

“Sis, I’m your sister. I want to remind you,” she said, looking seriously into my eyes.

I took a deep breath before smiling.

“I want to move on from someone special to me,” I began, smiling bitterly.

I really didn’t know how to tell her everything. I saw her facial expression change.

“A guy?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. I didn’t answer and took another deep breath.

“I didn’t tell you about that because I knew you wouldn’t let me, Sis. I’m so sorry I kept it from you,” I said, looking down.

I just hoped she wouldn’t ask any more questions because I didn’t want to talk about Damon.

“No, I’m not mad anymore. I don’t want you to keep secrets from me. Like this, you see? You got hurt, and I didn’t know,” she said, making me smile at her.

“Oh? Why are you smiling?” she asked me sharply.

“You’re just different, Sis. You’re the only b***h I know who’s caring and loving towards her sister,” I said, laughing.

“Of course! I’m the only Eerah who’s like that,” she said proudly before flipping her hair.

I just laughed. Of all the bitches I’ve known, she’s never treated me differently.

Well, it’s different from what I see on television series. They always fight with their sisters or compete for their parents’ attention. That’s why I’m so lucky to have a sister like her.

“Eerah, Girl! Come on! What are you doing there? When did you learn to gossip about your sister’s life?” Adeline said. Sis’s eyebrows rose even further at Adeline’s words.

“Shut up, b***h!” Sis shouted at her before saying goodbye to me when Damon called her.

I smiled bitterly as I remembered what happened a year ago.

FLASHBACK

I was walking in the hallway. I was going to Damon’s condo. He told me he was busy all day, so I baked cupcakes for him.

I was about to enter when his unit’s password suddenly error. What’s wrong? I entered the correct password.

So I rang the doorbell. After a while, the door opened, and Damon came out.

I heard noise inside, so I was curious. He was surprised to see me outside his condo unit.

“Hi, Babe!” I said and kissed him before looking inside again.

“What’s going on inside? I thought you were busy, so we couldn’t go on a date?” I asked him because it was strange that it was noisy inside his unit.

“Ah, Babe. They just happened to come over–”

“Damon! Don’t cheat! Come back here!” I heard a voice from inside, making me even more curious.

“You’re drinking? But, Babe, it's our monthsarry. You said you were busy, so we couldn’t go on a date,” I said, a little annoyed, because that was his excuse to me earlier before I came here.

“Yes, but they came here, and I can’t refuse,” he said.

“But, Babe! How about me?” I asked him. He took a deep breath, making me stop. Something was wrong.

“I just want to say something, Dana,” he said, making me very nervous.

“What is it?” I asked again.

“Let’s end this,” he continued, making me immediately shake my head.

“No,” I answered immediately.

Actually, I had heard this from him before, that he was going to break up with me. I found out that Damon had another woman, but I didn’t believe it because he told me he loved me.

“But, Dana. We’re not happy anymore–”

“I’m happy with you, Damon. Please, don’t do this,” I said, looking into his eyes.

“I don’t want to hurt you anymore, Dana. It’s better that you know the truth,” he said. I immediately shook my head at him.

“No way! Please. What’s wrong with me? I’ll change if you want,” I said, hugging him tightly.

“Dana! Stop it! Let’s end this!” he said and pulled me away from him. I immediately fought back and looked at him.

“Why? Because you have someone else? Who? Is it Faye? That woman?” I said softly, which surprised him.

“How did you know Faye?” he asked me in surprise. I laughed bitterly.

“So, it’s true. She’s your new girlfriend?” I said, starting to cry. He didn’t answer and just looked at me.

“Damon, what’s wrong with me? I gave you everything you asked for.” This time, I just cried because of the pain I felt.

“If you don’t give me a reason why I should break up with you, I won’t agree to break up with you,” I said to him.

I saw him surprised, so he took a deep breath, which surprised me.

“Fine, if you really insist. I don’t love you anymore. I don’t love you anymore. Isn’t that enough?” he said, looking into my eyes.

I was stunned by what he said. I couldn’t believe he would say that right in front of me, looking into my eyes.

“D-Damon, no! Are you kidding me, right?” I said to him, but he looked serious before he laughed insincerely.

“Don’t you notice, Dana? I’ve been avoiding you. You should feel that I don’t love you anymore. Are you really that insensitive? To not feel that I love someone else?” he asked me. I was even more hurt by what he said.

“Look at yourself! I can’t introduce you to my parents, I can’t even introduce you to my friends,” he added, so I stopped him.

“But you said you loved me, didn’t you?” I said, hoping he would change his mind.

“Are you still hoping for what I said two years ago? Dana, I’ve endured you for too long. So please, let’s end this,” he said before going inside, but I immediately stopped him.

“Damon, please wait! Let’s talk about this, Babe. I’ll do anything, you want me to change. I will do anything for you,” I said, hugging him.

“Dana, please stop! I won’t change my mind. I’m going to court Faye, I love her now, not you. So please, don’t make things difficult. Just accept the fact that you’re boring,” he said and pulled me away from his embrace.

I fell to the floor with the cupcakes I baked. I could only call his name and cry.

End of flashback

That’s why I left for good. I moved on from Damon. And after a year, I would find out that the Faye Damon replaced me with none other than my sister. I smiled bitterly because I didn’t know how it all happened.

I hid my identity from everyone. I hated social media before. Even our family pictures were private, so they didn’t know who I really was. That I was a Martini and the daughter of one of the richest people in the country.

I was a nerd, because of what happened, I changed myself. No one knew where I went.

No one knew what really happened to me, not even Eerah.

So I don’t know what to do, especially now that I’m back to get revenge on Damon.

I was so confused because how could I carry out my plans if it would involve my sister?

I didn’t have any resentment towards Sis. Because Damon played both of us. Besides, I didn’t tell her right away. I kept it all a secret because I was afraid she would stop us. So this happened.

I took a deep breath before drinking the vodka in my glass. I changed, I came back here like this. I killed the old Dana who Damon hurt, who he belittled and insulted. Anger suddenly welled up in my chest as I remembered the words he uttered the night he shattered my world.

I won’t stop, Damon Hykes Serrano! I will make you feel all the anger I feel now! One slap won’t be enough to make you feel everything.

I was thinking that when someone spoke from behind me.

"You're here. I've been looking for you," Kira said. I just looked at her before I took another puff of my cigarette. Her eyes widened like Eerah she quickly asked.

"You're smoking?!" she exclaimed, as if she couldn't believe it. I just glared at her before putting it down on the ashtray.

For sure, she'll ask me a lot of questions again. Well, I need to use it like this. I understand them because they're not used to me being like this.

"It's a long story–"

"Then make it short." I stopped at what she said. She even acted like she was imitating me, so I just glared at her.

"Don't you have an original line? So cheap!" I said to her pretentiously.

"Don't change the subject. I'm just asking you. Where did you learn that, huh?" she asked. I didn't know whether to laugh at her behavior. She's imitating Eerah now.

"Come on, Kira. Smoking isn't a big deal in Spain," I answered her sharply.

"I know, I mean, how did you learn those things? You're so strange, girl!" she said to me, so I just smiled before speaking.

"Well, that's me now, Kira," I said.

"I don't know, for sure there's still a lot I don't know about you. So I need to be ready," she said. I just laughed before drinking the vodka in my glass.